10 great Christian hip hop songs about fatherhood

Earlier this week theBREAX released a free mp3 of “Fathers” which got me thinking about this weekend’s holiday and some other Christian hip hop songs about dads.

Below is a list (which is neither perfect nor exhaustive – but still intriguing and entertaining) of ten great tracks from faith-based MCs that celebrate fatherhood or provide a Godly perspective on the way this role introduces fear, fascination, and fulfillment in their lives.

“Parent Me” – J’Son featuring JR

To set the stage, let’s review the important role parents play in developing their children. This song and video dropped last year and rocked most of us with its stark illustration of that dependency. Told from the viewpoint of several different youths, it’ll certainly make you stop and think.

“Songbird Saturday” – Sivion

This is one of my all time faves. A Dallas-based MC named Sivion simply reveling in the joy of a lazy weekend with his wife and kids.

“Daddy Did Me” – Thi’sl

Unfortunately, many rappers didn’t grow up with a strong paternal presence. However, most of them desperately want to change that and avoid making the same mistakes their dad did. Here, Thi’sl lays out his plan to break that sick cycle.

“Inspiration” – Von Won

I was happy to capture this video of Houston rapper/singer Von Won at a local show before he moved off to Arizona (and then back again) for a ministry job. Over a sample from the band Chicago, he raps words of love and affirmation to each of his three kids.

“You Are” – Bless’t

In a similar vein, Houston’s Bless’t lays out a love song to his two little girls with an assist from Bruce Takara.

“A Grief Observed” – Muze One

Fatherhood can also bring tears and frustration. Witness Muze One’s recount of the struggle he has with his daughter’s illness and how he personally handled it as a dad and husband.

“Unborn Child” – Willie Will

The pain can even be greater for those who never met their kids.

“Lord You” – Sean Slaughter featuring Alvin Slaughter

Father/son associations can often become strained – even if your pops is a famous gospel singer. Watch and listen to this clip as Alvin and Sean Slaughter put their relationship under the microscope for us to observe.

NOTE: The volume starts out very low at the start of this video but comes in loud and clear once the song begins. Check for the relevant verses around the 2:30 mark.

“Pops Song” – LA Symphony

The artsy Cali-collective also expounds on the ups and downs of dealings with their dads in this single from Disappear Here.

I love these lines from Joey the Jerk:

My mom at work / my father check our homework every eveningI was deceiving / F’s and D’s I was receiving I didn’t get whippings / I got African beatings

“Domesticated” – theBREAX featuring Blame One & Braille

And just so we bring it full circle and end on a happy note: Blame One, Braille, & theBREAX rhyme about the joys of being a good dad and husband. Perhaps the only rap video you’ll ever see with a dude dancing with vacuum cleaner.